and Umm Salama’s eyes were cooled by the sight of her husband, while Abu Salama rejoiced in the company of his wife and child. Thereafter events began to race by with the swiftness of a blink.

First came the Battle of “Badr,” in which Abu Salama took part and from which he returned with the Muslims after a signal victory (1).

Then came “Uhud,” which he entered after Badr, acquitting himself with the finest courage and honour. Yet he emerged bearing a deep wound, and he treated it until he thought it had closed (2). The injury, however, had been bound over corruption (3); it soon reopened (4) and confined Abu Salama to his bed.

While he was tending to this wound, Abu Salama said to his wife, “O Umm Salama, I heard the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, say: ‘No one is struck by a calamity and, upon it, utters the istirjāʿ (5) and says: